Documentary

American Patchwork: Songs and Stories of America

From 1978 to 1985 Alan Lomax traveled the American South and Southwest with a television crew to document regional folklore with deep historical roots. From the resulting 400 hours of footage came the five-program series American Patchwork, which aired on PBS in 1991.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

American Patchwork: Songs and Stories of America

First Air Date

July 6, 1990

Last Air Date

August 3, 1990

Seasons

1

Episodes

5

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

PBS

S01E05

Dreams and Songs of the Noble Old

Examining the talents and wisdom of elderly musicians, singers, and story-tellers, who perform not for fame or fortune but to preserve and share their culture. Stories told by Janie Hunter (80) of Johns Island, SC; ballads sung by ex-coal miner and union organizer Nimrod Workman (91), of Chatteroy, WV; fiddle tunes and tales of moonshining and feuds from Tommy Jarrell (83) of Toast, NC; and footage from the Alabama Sacred Harp Convention in Fyffe, AL, in which people of all ages gather to sing old-time shape-note hymnody.

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